This invention relates to a mounting arrangement for a collapsible safety steering column in a passenger motor vehicle.
A safety steering column in a passenger vehicle is designed so that, in the vent of a frontal collision, there will be no horizontal motion of the steering wheel towards the operator, at least in the lower speed range. For this purpose, the steering column preferably has a telescoping construction, and is mounted on upper and lower steering column supports. The support for the upper steering column portion is connected to frame parts arranged for utmost rigidity in a collision, while the lower steering column support is mounted on vehicle parts which can yield. Accordingly, in the event of a collision, the lower steering column bearing will move toward the interior of the vehicle. During this motion, the lower steering column support will not move along the principal axis of the steering column, but at an angle to that axis. As a result, when the lower support moves, there will be a change in the angle of inclination of the steering column and hence an upward motion of the steering wheel. This results in an unfavorable position of the steering wheel in relation to the operator's head. If the operator's head makes contact with the steering wheel when the operator's seatbelt is buckled, it should make contact essentially with only the uppermost rim of the steering wheel.
The displacement of the steering column described above will lead to an impact of the head upon the center or the lower rim of the steering wheel. In vehicles with an air bag mounted in the steering wheel, there is similarly an altered and moreover unfavorable action upon the operator. In that case, the operator's chest will impact the lower rim of the steering wheel, and will not be supported only by the air bas, as intended.
German Offenlegungsschrift No. 3 544 345 discloses a steering column that will swing following the response of a collision sensor. In that case, the risk of a malfunction is a disadvantage as is the requirement for auxiliary energy to execute the swinging motion.